The story of Isyan Story · installations and exhibitions: LSYTSDA Sala Alterarte
Position · 0:00 / 10:48 SubtitlesOff ES EN GL Transcript 0:00 My name is Isyan Lugo. 0:02 I'm from Venezuela, from the city of Los Teques, 0:05 quite close to the capital. It's where I 0:08 grew up and developed my interest in 0:12 music and art. For that same reason, today I'm still 0:16 studying in this field, audiovisual production. Now I live 0:20 here in Ourense. Being here in Galicia, 0:23 in Spain, amazes me in every way, 0:26 and I've been here in Spain for almost a year now. 0:31 Yes, I remember, specifically 0:34 around the time of COVID, 0:38 thinking about what opportunities I could find so that I could 0:43 develop my talent further, because opportunities were very scarce 0:47 back home. I remembered I had 0:50 family here, and I was thinking about 0:54 where I could go. Spain came to mind, because I love 0:59 the culture and the artists from here that 1:02 I grew up listening to. I thought, 1:05 perhaps someday; I didn't know when. 1:09 Time went by and I kept wondering 1:12 when that opportunity would finally come. 1:15 Then I was in touch 1:18 with my family here again, and they said 1:21 it would be good if I could come. 1:23 But there was nothing definite. I 1:27 carried on studying; I was also involved 1:30 in theatre, and I threw myself 1:33 into that while I waited 1:37 to see what might happen, or 1:40 whether an opportunity might come up 1:44 through that work. Things moved forward, 1:48 and I finally managed to make 1:52 some definite arrangements with my family here. 1:55 They said they could take me in, 1:58 and that I should get ready. I even postponed coming 2:02 because I was about to perform in a play. 2:06 I said: I have a commitment to the people 2:08 I'm studying with, and I want to honour it. 2:11 I was excited about it too. 2:15 So I said I'd put off 2:18 the journey a little; I didn't mind. That's 2:22 what I did. Facing the prospect of 2:26 completely changing my surroundings made me 2:28 happy, because that was what I wanted. 2:31 But it did mean 2:34 a change of mindset… 2:37 But in the end, they 2:41 are family, so I know 2:44 that wherever I was, I would be able 2:47 to find a new environment, a new 2:49 group, and have new experiences. That 2:52 was what I wanted most. 2:56 Right. As soon as the journey was definite, 3:00 because I was involved in music, I'd had 3:04 the chance to own many musical 3:07 instruments. But I was also thinking: 3:09 I'm making this journey, so what can 3:14 I take that I can actually use 3:19 as soon as I arrive, and that means something 3:22 to me? In this case, it was my guitar, 3:26 my electric guitar. I was 3:30 considering the opportunities, including work, 3:34 With it, I can record directly 3:38 in a studio anywhere, and play live… 3:41 And I've had that guitar for more than ten years, so I said: 3:46 I'll take my guitar. My dad even said to me: 3:50 Why don't you take another guitar as well? I 3:53 said no, I barely have room in my luggage. 3:55 I even had to work out whether it could count as hand luggage. I wasn't sure, 4:00 but what mattered to me was bringing my guitar. I also brought 4:04 notes for songs I'd written. 4:09 I'd taken lots of courses and made notes on everything. I felt 4:14 it was essential to bring those things, so I was finding room for 4:18 all my notebooks, including the ones with songs, because 4:24 I feel they are part of my history. What I've managed to 4:28 develop has value to me, and I 4:32 want to have it with me. Perhaps 4:36 I can share it if people become interested as I 4:41 make my way. As for things 4:46 connected to my family, I remember 4:51 my mum giving me a necklace when we said goodbye, 4:57 at the last moment. Of course 5:00 I treasure it. Another thing 5:04 that was very much me was a hat, 5:08 part of my musical style. I didn't 5:11 mind. I wondered whether people wear a 5:14 hat on a plane, but I didn't 5:17 care. I went through all the security checks. 5:19 I was going to arrive with my hat, 5:22 because I feel it's part of my style, 5:25 my personality. And that's what I did. 5:28 Those are a few things I've kept. Because they 5:31 were part of me, I had to bring them 5:33 with me, without question. 5:35 It's interesting, because when your family is saying goodbye, 5:40 Your family says: ‘Don't forget your roots.’ But you arrive in another country 5:45 and you also think: I have to adapt in some way, because the idea is 5:50 to become involved with the people. I've always been interested 5:54 in the way people speak 5:57 here in Spain. So even 6:00 back home, without knowing when I would travel, I was already picking up 6:05 some of the words, because I find them beautiful, even in 6:11 reading. Here in Galicia, 6:14 because of the language, 6:18 I had to understand that there 6:21 would be another change. But I feel 6:24 Faced with these situations… 6:28 I see it as 6:32 something I want to learn about. I want 6:36 to learn everything I can and get involved, 6:39 because I feel a connection with the country, 6:42 its people and the place where I am. 6:46 But I carry who I am and where I 6:50 was born with me. I feel it's an evolution 6:54 of who I am, carrying these 6:59 two worlds. Together they make up 7:03 the new person I am. I feel that in the end, we belong where we end up 7:09 being. I'm here now, and I 7:12 feel part of this place too. 7:16 I'd say I haven't experienced it with a 7:20 negative connotation, in my 7:23 time here. It can 7:26 happen that, in a completely new 7:31 environment, the way you say things 7:36 needs a little more thought than it would automatically, 7:42 because you might wonder: am I 7:46 expressing what I mean correctly? 7:50 Sometimes words can have a completely 7:53 different meaning to other people. 7:56 But in the end, I feel 7:59 I'd rather face the situation, 8:02 wherever I need to be. If I make 8:07 a mistake, I make a mistake and adjust, 8:11 whether it's a word or an expression, or 8:15 by listening to the people around me. 8:18 Honestly, I haven't noticed anything negative. 8:22 Quite the opposite: the welcome 8:25 I've received has been wonderful. 8:30 Compared with comments I may have heard 8:34 about these things, 8:39 my experience has been rewarding in every way. 8:42 I feel as though I'm with family. 8:45 I'm having the kinds of experiences I wanted. 8:48 That's how I see my everyday life 8:52 as a migrant, trying to adapt and 8:57 find my place a little in this 9:01 community. 9:04 When I decided to come here, I looked at the 9:09 progress I'd made. I'm interested in music, and in all 9:14 the years I lived in my country, progress was 9:20 almost nonexistent. So when I decided to come here, I 9:25 said: honestly, I plan to stay for a long time. 9:30 I see returning to my country more 9:34 as a visit, to see my family, 9:38 to be around the things I 9:42 grew up with. But my plan is 9:46 to stay here long-term, and build 9:49 my life here. 9:53 The different challenges 9:56 that life brings 10:01 can ultimately be the most rewarding 10:04 things you take with you. 10:07 Thank you very much for this space. I'd 10:12 like to send a message of encouragement to anyone 10:17 considering this. If you have a clear goal, 10:20 if you know why you're doing it, or if 10:23 your heart has led you to want to 10:26 go to a new country or have a new 10:29 experience, go with enthusiasm and be 10:34 open to all the experiences 10:38 you may find. That will open so many doors. 